Iraq shows relative improvement in the international corruption index… and calls to deny convicts “general amnesty”.

The Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq confirmed on Wednesday that the country has made gradual progress in the Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International, indicating that Iraq has risen to 136th place globally and seventh place in the Arab world for the year 2025. Dailynews reports

The center stated in a report received by Shafaq News Agency that “Iraq moved from obtaining 26 points and occupying the 140th position globally out of 180 countries during 2024, to achieving 28 points and ranking 136th globally during 2025, which reflects a relative improvement in efforts to combat corruption and promote integrity in state institutions.”

The report noted that “this progress coincides with the escalation of governmental, judicial and oversight efforts in pursuing major corruption cases, the increase in sentences issued against those involved, as well as the decline in the number of trials in absentia and cases returned for investigation, reflecting the development of the efficiency of judicial and oversight performance and the protection of public funds.”

While the center praised the joint measures taken by the government, the Supreme Judicial Council, the Integrity Commission, and the Financial Control Bureau, it stressed that continuing these efforts during the current year 2026 will enhance citizens’ confidence in public institutions and improve the investment and economic development environment in the country.

In the context of legislative demands, the Strategic Center called on the three authorities and the Integrity Commission to “continue structural reforms, expand the definition of corruption crimes to include influence peddling, bribery in the private sector, and illicit enrichment, while accelerating the recovery of smuggled funds and protecting whistleblowers and witnesses.”

The center stressed at the end of its statement “the need to exclude those convicted of financial and administrative corruption cases from any general amnesty laws, and to publish the names of those convicted by final judicial rulings to enhance general deterrence and prevent impunity.”

Shafaq.com

A government advisor explains how US interest rates control the movement of gold and the dollar in Iraq.

The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, confirmed on Wednesday that US interest rates and the strength of the dollar are among the most prominent factors affecting the movement of gold prices globally, indicating that any change in the directions of the Federal Reserve (the US central bank) is directly reflected in the attractiveness of the yellow metal to investors and traders locally. News

Saleh told Shafaq News Agency that raising US interest rates pushes investors towards assets with returns, such as bonds and dollar deposits, at the expense of gold, which does not generate a periodic return, which often leads to a decline in demand for it and a drop in its prices globally.

He added that the rise in interest rates also contributes to supporting the strength of the US dollar, which makes buying gold more expensive for investors outside the United States because the precious metal is priced in green currency, noting that the reduction in interest rates reinforces the demand for gold as a safe haven, a store of value and a tool to hedge against inflation.

Saleh explained that the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged at a range of 3.50% to 3.75%, while markets await its future directions regarding the course of monetary policy, noting that expectations of a future interest rate cut may support gold prices even before an actual decision to cut is issued.

The government advisor pointed out that Iraq, as a net importer of gold, is directly affected by global price movements, explaining that the local market is also affected by competition from the cash dollar, which represents an alternative store of value for traders and Iraqi citizens during periods of market volatility.

Shafaq.com

Basra oil exports partially recover to 870,000 barrels per day in June

Official data from the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Company (SOMO) showed that the rate of crude oil exports transported by sea through Basra ports rose to about 870,000 barrels per day during the past month of June, recording a threefold increase compared to the month of May, following the partial resumption of flows through the Strait of Hormuz before security tensions caused it to be closed again. Financialnews subscription

Despite this relative recovery, official data indicates that oil exports are still far below pre-regional crisis levels, with Basra exporting about 3.6 million barrels per day last February.

In a related context, the average exports of Iraqi crude oil via the Turkish Ceyhan pipeline reached about 230,000 barrels per day during June, which represents about half of the pipeline’s usual historical rates. Crude oil produced from federal fields constituted about 176,000 barrels per day of the total quantities exported via the northern pipeline.

The Platts OPEC survey issued by S&P Global Energy showed that Iraq’s total crude oil production reached 4.22 million barrels per day last February, but the loss of southern export outlets and regional unrest led to a decline in the country’s total production to below 2 million barrels per day during the period from March to June.

Shafaq.com

Exclusive: Parliamentary Finance Committee reveals gradual shift in Iraqi budget starting in 2027

Hussein al-Daraji, a member of the Finance Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, revealed on Wednesday that the legislative and executive authorities intend to gradually move towards implementing a “programs and performance budget” starting from next year, 2027, to ensure the regulation of spending and the protection of public funds. MiddleEast news

Al-Daraji told Shafaq News Agency in a special statement that the Parliamentary Finance Committee hosted Finance Minister Falih al-Sari last week to discuss the fundamental amendments to the draft budget law, where the change to the current work mechanism and the shift towards a “program budget” was discussed in detail.

Al-Daraji explained that the program budget for the year 2027 will include, in its first phase, the Ministry of Electricity and the governorates of Diwaniyah and Salah al-Din, indicating that the plan set for the 2028 budget will expand to include five ministries and five other governorates, so that the new structure will continue to be gradually generalized to the rest of the state institutions in subsequent years.

The member of the Finance Committee pointed out that the application of the program budget aims primarily to preserve public funds, and to control and regulate financial spending channels in accordance with the government’s strategic vision, specifically within the investment budget items.

This comes in conjunction with the Parliamentary Finance Committee hosting, on July 7, Finance Minister Faleh al-Sari and senior officials in the ministry, to discuss the financial and economic situation, and the mechanisms for preparing the draft federal general budget for 2027.

During the meeting, Uday Awad, Chairman of the Finance Committee, affirmed that the committee is committed to supporting and enacting laws that contribute to addressing financial challenges, developing non-oil resources, and enhancing the state’s financial sustainability.

For his part, Al-Sari confirmed that the 2027 budget project includes a phased plan to implement the program and performance budget, starting with a number of governorates as a pilot model, to be gradually generalized to include all governorates of Iraq.

It is worth noting that the Cabinet had approved last June, under the direction of Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi, the formulation of a “program budget” in coordination and joint cooperation with the World Bank and the Parliamentary Finance Committee, to advance the economic reform process in the country.

Following that, the advisor to the Prime Minister for Financial Affairs, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, revealed that the Ministry of Finance has begun preparing the draft federal general budget law for 2027, in the first new budget that Iraq has begun to formulate after two years of not approving a federal budget.

The government’s commencement of preparing the 2027 budget comes after two years of the absence of an effective federal budget with approved schedules, as the 2025 budget schedules were not approved, nor was a budget law approved for 2026, despite the House of Representatives, under the government of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, approving the three-year budget law for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The 2025 budget, in its updated form, could not be implemented after its schedules were not approved within the House of Representatives and the fiscal year ended, which prompted the Ministry of Finance to adopt a temporary disbursement mechanism at a rate of 1/12, based on the Financial Management Law, to secure salaries, governing expenses and basic obligations.

The 2026 budget was also not approved due to the political complexities and economic pressures resulting from regional tensions and energy market volatility, so Iraq continues to manage its spending according to the temporary spending mechanism while awaiting a new federal budget that will end this financial deadlock.

Shafaq.com

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Trump: Next week we will announce a major oil partnership with Iraq

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that a major oil partnership with Iraq will be announced next week.

During his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, Trump said that next week would see the announcement of a major oil partnership with Iraq, in addition to the conclusion of major trade deals. MiddleEast news

On Tuesday afternoon, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi met with US President Donald Trump at the White House, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s media office.

Al-Zaidi arrived in the US capital, Washington, on Monday, at the head of a high-level delegation that included a number of ministers, officials, investors and business owners, on an official visit that will last for seven days.

On Monday evening, a senior US administration official revealed details of the files and basic demands that US President Donald Trump will put on the table for discussion with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, ahead of their anticipated meeting at the White House on Tuesday at 11:00 AM Washington time.

The official, who requested anonymity, told Shafaq News Agency that the United States stands by Iraqi efforts to realize Iraq’s full potential as a force for stability, prosperity and security in the Middle East.

Shafaq.com

Al-Zaidi meets Trump at the White House

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s media office. News

Al-Zaidi arrived in the US capital, Washington, on Monday, at the head of a high-level delegation that included a number of ministers, officials, investors and business owners, on an official visit that will last for seven days.

On Monday evening, a senior US administration official revealed details of the files and basic demands that US President Donald Trump will put on the table for discussion with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, ahead of their anticipated meeting at the White House on Tuesday at 11:00 AM Washington time.

The official, who requested anonymity, told Shafaq News Agency that the United States stands by Iraqi efforts to realize Iraq’s full potential as a force for stability, prosperity and security in the Middle East.

Shafaq.com

Exclusive: Al-Zaidi seeks a new military partnership with Washington after the coalition

On Tuesday, the spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Sabah al-Nu’man, revealed that Baghdad intends to establish a bilateral military partnership with the United States after the end of the international coalition’s mission, while emphasizing that the issue of restricting weapons to the state is a “sovereign Iraqi decision” that is being worked on according to a purely governmental vision, and there is no external coordination regarding it . MiddleEast news

This came during a special interview with Shafaq News Agency, ahead of the anticipated meeting between Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the US Department of War (the Pentagon), coinciding with joint meetings between delegations from the Iraqi and US Ministries of Defense .

Al-Nu’man said that the upcoming talks will focus on “the future of the military relationship between Iraq and the United States after the end of the international coalition’s mission,” indicating that Baghdad is looking forward to building a strong bilateral partnership with Washington in the areas of training, arming, intelligence and raising the capabilities of the Iraqi armed forces .

He added that “Iraq has made great progress in consolidating internal security, and despite the tensions in the region, the security situation inside the country is stable thanks to the readiness of the armed forces and their ability to impose security.”

The spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces indicated that the Iraqi delegation’s visit also carries a message to international companies that “Iraq enjoys a stable security environment that qualifies it to receive foreign investments.”

Regarding the issue of restricting weapons, Al-Nu’man stressed that “this issue represents a purely Iraqi decision, based on the mandate of the Iraqi people, the will of the House of Representatives, and the directives of the religious authority.”

He stressed that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has made this file a government priority, with the aim of ensuring that security and military decisions are entirely in the hands of the state and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces .

Al-Nu’man revealed that “the coming days will witness the joining of other factions to the official security institutions,” noting that the government has made significant progress in implementing this path .

In response to a question from Shafaq News regarding coordination with the US administration on the issue of restricting weapons, Al-Nu’man categorically denied this, saying that “the decision is entirely Iraqi, and the mechanisms for its implementation were put in place by the Prime Minister, and no external party is involved in its formulation or management.”

He concluded by noting that the Prime Minister had formed a central committee, headed by the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations and including the Military Secretary, which operates under his direct supervision, with the aim of completing this file and bringing it to a final conclusion .

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Washington, D.C., on Monday, leading a high-level delegation that included a number of ministers, officials, investors and business owners, for an official visit that will last seven days.

Shafaq.com

Exclusive: Baghdad seeks to establish a new economic era with Washington

Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi confirmed on Tuesday that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to the United States represents a pivotal moment in Iraqi-American relations, considering it the most important visit for an Iraqi government since 2003, because it moves the relationship between the two countries from managing security files and crises to building a long-term economic and investment partnership. Regionalnews updates

Al-Aboudi told Shafaq News Agency that the government views this visit as the beginning of a new phase based on investment, energy and economic development, noting that this path represents the real guarantee for the sustainability of relations between Baghdad and Washington, far from being limited to military or security cooperation that characterized relations during the past two decades.

He added that the government seeks to capitalize on the current political momentum to transform the relationship with the United States into a productive partnership that opens the door for major American companies to participate in strategic projects within Iraq, particularly in the oil, energy and infrastructure sectors.

He explained that a number of major American companies have shown a clear response to the government’s vision, stressing that some of them have already entered into understandings with the Iraqi side, and that the results of these agreements, which are based on common interests, will be announced during the official visit to Washington.

Regarding the issue of restricting weapons to the state, Al-Aboudi stressed that the government has placed it among its top priorities since day one, not only as a security issue, but also as one of the necessary conditions for creating a stable environment capable of attracting foreign investments and stimulating economic growth.

He stressed that the current government has moved in this matter from the stage of pledges to practical implementation, unlike what previous governments witnessed, considering that the steps taken so far reflect the state’s seriousness in imposing its sovereignty and strengthening internal stability.

He pointed out that Iraq’s success in establishing security and extending state authority sends a reassuring message to investors and international companies, and lays the foundation for stronger economic relations with international partners, foremost among them the United States, which will reflect on development opportunities and create a more attractive environment for capital.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Washington, D.C., on Monday, leading a high-level delegation that included a number of ministers, officials, investors and business owners, for an official visit that will last seven days.

Shafaq.com

Documents reveal that the judiciary has ordered an investigation into the fate of $140 billion in Iraqi revenues.

Member of the Legal Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, MP Mohammed Jassim Al-Khafaji, announced on Tuesday that an official move has been made by the Public Prosecution to open a judicial investigation into suspicions of the disappearance and fate of $140 billion of the country’s revenues. Regionalnews updates

According to official documents obtained by Shafaq News Agency, the legal action came in response to an official request and notification submitted by MP Al-Khafaji on June 27 to the head of the Public Prosecution Service, demanding the opening of a proper investigation based on recorded statements (on a CD) by the former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, Masoud Haider, who spoke about not knowing the ways in which $140 billion of Iraq’s revenues were spent over three years.

Documents issued by the Public Prosecution Office (Legal Division) and signed by the Deputy Public Prosecutor, Dhari Jaber, showed an official directive addressed to the “Second Karkh Investigation Court”, ordering the referral of the Deputy’s letter and its attachments to take urgent legal action regarding the subject of the report.

MP Al-Khafaji confirmed in a post on social media, Facebook, that he was in the capital, Baghdad, to follow up on the case.

Shafaq.com